tree

This is a very fine, very tall tree on campus, that somehow has been trimmed as though it's got ambitions to shrink and become a bonsai.  It was very wonderful to come out of my office this afternoon and gaze at its tranquility as a relief from the small-game-hunting involved in picture permissions.  Guaranteed to raise my blood pressure ... not so much the chasing down of people who don't respond to emails, or having to call the Royal Geographical Society, in London, with my credit card number on a very uncertain cell phone line, but the more-or-less Famous Photographer who replies to my polite letter, and friendly email asking to reproduce an image with the two words "Permission denied."  I should say - this is not someone I've ever met, or offended, or - well, what would it have taken to type "Sorry -" in front of that? Bah.  (Still, I'm nearly there ...).